Bill Text: FL S1798 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Postsecondary Grant Programs
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2019-05-03 - Died in Education [S1798 Detail]
Download: Florida-2019-S1798-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2019 SB 1798 By Senator Gibson 6-01876B-19 20191798__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to postsecondary grant programs; 3 amending ss. 1009.50, 1009.505, 1009.51, and 1009.52, 4 F.S.; providing that, beginning with a specified term, 5 certain students are eligible to receive grants for 6 summer term enrollment; providing that certain 7 students are eligible to receive a certain amount of 8 additional funds per academic year for use in a fall, 9 spring, or summer term, or the equivalent, for 10 textbooks and educational expenses; providing an 11 effective date. 12 13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14 15 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 16 1009.50, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 17 1009.50 Florida Public Student Assistance Grant Program; 18 eligibility for grants.— 19 (2)(a) State student assistance grants through the program 20 may be made only to degree-seeking students who enroll in at 21 least 6 semester hours, or the equivalent per term, and who meet 22 the general requirements for student eligibility as provided in 23 s. 1009.40, except as otherwise provided in this section. The 24 grants shall be awarded annually for the amount of demonstrated 25 unmet need for the cost of education and may not exceed an 26 amount equal to the average prior academic year cost of tuition 27 fees and other registration fees for 30 credit hours at state 28 universities or such other amount as specified in the General 29 Appropriations Act, to any recipient. A demonstrated unmet need 30 of less than $200 shall render the applicant ineligible for a 31 state student assistance grant. Recipients of the grants must 32 have been accepted at a state university or Florida College 33 System institution authorized by Florida law. A student is 34 eligible for the award for 110 percent of the number of credit 35 hours required to complete the program in which enrolled, except 36 as otherwise provided in s. 1009.40(3). Beginning with the 2019 37 summer term, an eligible student must also receive a grant for 38 summer term enrollment, subject to the appropriation of funds by 39 the Legislature. A student is eligible for an additional $200 40 per academic year for use in a fall, spring, or summer term, or 41 the equivalent, for textbooks and the payment of educational 42 expenses, subject to the appropriation of funds by the 43 Legislature. 44 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section 45 1009.505, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 46 1009.505 Florida Public Postsecondary Career Education 47 Student Assistance Grant Program.— 48 (3)(a) Student assistance grants through the program may be 49 made only to certificate-seeking students enrolled at least 50 half-time in a public postsecondary career certificate program 51 who meet the general requirements for student eligibility as 52 provided in s. 1009.40, except as otherwise provided in this 53 section. The grants shall be awarded annually to any recipient 54 for the amount of demonstrated unmet need for the cost of 55 education and may not exceed the average annual cost of tuition 56 and registration fees or such other amount as specified in the 57 General Appropriations Act. A demonstrated unmet need of less 58 than $200 shall render the applicant ineligible for a grant 59 under this section. Recipients of the grants must have been 60 accepted at a Florida College System institution authorized by 61 Florida law or a career center operated by a district school 62 board under s. 1001.44. A student is eligible for the award for 63 110 percent of the number of clock hours required to complete 64 the program in which enrolled. Beginning with the 2019 summer 65 term, an eligible student must also receive a grant for summer 66 term enrollment, subject to the appropriation of funds by the 67 Legislature. A student is eligible for an additional $200 per 68 academic year for use in a fall, spring, or summer term, or the 69 equivalent, for textbooks and the payment of educational 70 expenses, subject to the appropriation of funds by the 71 Legislature. 72 Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 73 1009.51, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 74 1009.51 Florida Private Student Assistance Grant Program; 75 eligibility for grants.— 76 (2)(a) Florida private student assistance grants from the 77 State Student Financial Assistance Trust Fund may be made only 78 to full-time degree-seeking students who meet the general 79 requirements for student eligibility as provided in s. 1009.40, 80 except as otherwise provided in this section. Such grants shall 81 be awarded for the amount of demonstrated unmet need for tuition 82 and fees and may not exceed an amount equal to the average 83 tuition and other registration fees for 30 credit hours at state 84 universities plus $1,000 per academic year, or as specified in 85 the General Appropriations Act, to any applicant. A demonstrated 86 unmet need of less than $200 shall render the applicant 87 ineligible for a Florida private student assistance grant. 88 Recipients of such grants must have been accepted at a 89 baccalaureate-degree-granting independent nonprofit college or 90 university, which is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of 91 the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and which is 92 located in and chartered as a domestic corporation by the state. 93 No student may receive an award for more than the equivalent of 94 9 semesters or 14 quarters of full-time enrollment, except as 95 otherwise provided in s. 1009.40(3). Beginning with the 2019 96 summer term, an eligible student must also receive a grant for 97 summer term enrollment, subject to the appropriation of funds by 98 the Legislature. A student is eligible for an additional $200 99 per academic year for use in a fall, spring, or summer term, or 100 the equivalent, for textbooks and the payment of educational 101 expenses, subject to the appropriation of funds by the 102 Legislature. 103 Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 104 1009.52, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 105 1009.52 Florida Postsecondary Student Assistance Grant 106 Program; eligibility for grants.— 107 (2)(a) Florida postsecondary student assistance grants 108 through the State Student Financial Assistance Trust Fund may be 109 made only to full-time degree-seeking students who meet the 110 general requirements for student eligibility as provided in s. 111 1009.40, except as otherwise provided in this section. Such 112 grants shall be awarded for the amount of demonstrated unmet 113 need for tuition and fees and may not exceed an amount equal to 114 the average prior academic year cost of tuition and other 115 registration fees for 30 credit hours at state universities plus 116 $1,000 per academic year, or as specified in the General 117 Appropriations Act, to any applicant. A demonstrated unmet need 118 of less than $200 shall render the applicant ineligible for a 119 Florida postsecondary student assistance grant. Recipients of 120 such grants must have been accepted at a postsecondary 121 institution that is located in the state and that is: 122 1. A private nursing diploma school approved by the Florida 123 Board of Nursing; or 124 2. A college or university licensed by the Commission for 125 Independent Education, excluding those institutions the students 126 of which are eligible to receive a Florida private student 127 assistance grant pursuant to s. 1009.51. 128 129 No student may receive an award for more than the equivalent of 130 9 semesters or 14 quarters of full-time enrollment, except as 131 otherwise provided in s. 1009.40(3). Beginning with the 2019 132 summer term, an eligible student must also receive a grant for 133 summer term enrollment, subject to the appropriation of funds by 134 the Legislature. A student is eligible for an additional $200 135 per academic year for use in a fall, spring, or summer term, or 136 the equivalent, for textbooks and the payment of educational 137 expenses, subject to the appropriation of funds by the 138 Legislature. 139 Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.